


Girl's Night

by OrangeMentats



Series: If your love is just a dream anthology [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alcohol, Drinking, Platonic Relationships, Relationship Discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:02:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27390916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeMentats/pseuds/OrangeMentats
Summary: Every third Friday of the month Manuela and Byleth get together for drinks and discuss tactics, teaching and monastery gossip.
Series: If your love is just a dream anthology [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000977
Kudos: 5





	Girl's Night

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place between chapters 7 and 8 of 'If your love is just a dream'.

It had become something of a tradition that every third Friday of the month Byleth and Manuela would get together for drinks. It had started not long after Byleth had joined the faculty at Garreg Mach and the two women quickly became close friends. They treated it as an opportunity to unwind after the week's classes and chat about events at the monastery and beyond. Occasionally they would also share teaching strategies and discuss how best to help their students improve.

On occasion the two had invited the other faculty members or knights, once or twice Hanneman had joined them although he usually began needling Byleth about her Crest after barely half a glass of wine. Manuela usually ushered him out once he got onto that topic for 'spoiling the evening'. On one particular occasion they had invited Seteth - not long after Byleth had joined her soul with Sothis - and the man had told her that he found her quite remarkable and apologised for how he had treated her when she first came to the monastery. After having far too much to drink - which was, of course, Manuela's fault as she kept refilling her glass - she had kissed Rhea's advisor when she said goodbye and he had spluttered and gone just as red as she had. They had both sworn never to speak of it again. Byleth winced inwardly just thinking about it.

Things had changed a lot since those carefree days before the war. Manuela had been a judgment-free ear for Byleth to spill her worries to, along with a source of great knowledge about the events that had come to pass during her disappearance.

Of course, that didn't mean the conversation was never steered toward monastery gossip or which knights Manuela was considering inviting into the town for dinner and drinks. That tended to become quite a popular topic of conversation once the wine started flowing.

"Now, I know he's from the Kingdom army but surely that doesn't mean he's off limits, right? Maybe I can persuade him to stay when the war's over. Who wants to go back to chilly Faerghus when they could stay in sunny Garreg Mach?"

The brunette drawled, drawing a laugh from her green-haired companion. 

"It is bloody cold in Faerghus, I'll never forget going up to Fraldarius territory to help Rodrigue with those bandits. It was so damn cold he had to lend me his cape for most of the stay."

Manuela must've noticed the hazy look in her eye as she reminisced about the warmth of the Duke's cape about her shoulders. 

"So Byleth, want to tell me what's going on with you and Rodrigue?" 

"Me and Rodrigue?" 

The mint-haired girl asked, surprised by the songstress' directness. Not that she should be, of course, for Manuela was never one to beat around the bush.

"Yes you and Rodrigue, you two seem awfully close." 

The brunette raised her glass and swilled it, taking a sip of the wine while lounging on the sofa. 

"What I wouldn't give for some tall, handsome noble to look at me the way he looks at you." 

Manuela reclined while Byleth sat, blushing, pondering the other woman's words. Did Rodrigue really look at her like that? If so that was an.. interesting development. 

"Oh, well, nothings going on." 

Manuela raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"Don't play coy with me, Byleth. I've seen the way you look at him too, you know. Stealing glances across the dining hall when you think no one's watching like a lovesick teenager."

The songstress rolled her eyes, as if the very thought of it disgusted her. Byleth knew better. Manuela had invited more than enough men into her chambers in her search for love only to come to the conclusion that she was unlovable. Byleth had told her countless times that wasn't true and that she would find the right person eventually. 

Byleth sighed. Manuela knew her too well by now and would root out any lies she tried to tell her.

"I mean, sure, I think he's attractive." 

That eyebrow raised again. 

"That is the understatement of the century, Byleth. You'd climb him like a tree given half a chance, I just know it." 

The mint-haired professor spluttered denials for a moment while her companion gave her that knowing look again. 

"Alright, maybe I would, but that's never going to happen." 

The songstress made a noncommital noise before falling silent and toying with the rim of her glass with her finger. 

"I really don't know how you do it." 

"Do what?" 

Byleth questioned, placing her glass on a side table. Given the subject of their conversation she had been drinking her wine quicker than she wanted. She wasn't sure she liked her love life (or lack thereof) being under such scrutiny.

"Make people fall in love with you."

"People aren't in love with me, Manuela."

"Oh please, even you must see the way they look at you. Do you not remember the ball? You were mobbed by students wanting to dance, didn't see them mobbing me or Hanneman like that, did you? Not that I can blame them for not wanting to dance with that old bore, but me? I should've had at least a couple of suitors." 

Manuela began counting on her fingers.

"Dimitri used to follow you around like a lost dog and blush every time you looked at him. Ferdinand wouldn't shut up about you and then you poached him from my class. You should've seen the look on his face when he came to tell me, all starry-eyed like you'd accepted a marriage proposal by letting him join the Blue Lions - and don't get me started on Mercedes! Sylvain talks about you like an actual human being and Seteth is smitten with you, even if he pretends he isn't." 

Byleth groaned, knowing she was about to get a ribbing for her drunken antics five years earlier.

"Don't."

She cringed, covering her face as she already knew what was coming. Manuela was never going to let her live that down. 

"What was it he called you? Extraordinary? Have you ever heard him compliment anyone else like that? You know I don't blame you for kissing him, he _is_ a very attractive man after all. I'd love to know what's under those robes of his."

"I've told you before Manuela, if you really wanted to find out you'd invite him to spar. He's more skilled with an axe and a lance that most of the students."

"Nonsense. Can't have everyone seeing me looking all sweaty and disheveled, can I?"

Manuela reached for one of the bottles sitting on her desk and filled her glass again, so high that Byleth half expected her to spill it down herself. Byleth took the opportunity to refill her own glass, although decided to stop when it was about three quarters full. Unlike _somebody_ she knew how to pace herself.

Once again, Manuela's interest was back on her relationship with Rodrigue. She was like a bloodhound for gossip, never losing sight of the trail for long.

"Now that I think about it Rodrigue also asked you to dance at the ball and it was all everyone wanted to talk about all night. I seem to remember you snuck off somewhere together too and all the students started looking for you."

The brunette was now leaning across the sofa with narrowed eyes, glass tilted precariously in her hand. 

"What did you get up to I wonder." 

"Manuela." 

Byleth admonished gently, although she laughed nonetheless. She hadn't realised quite what a stir she had caused at the ball.

"We didn't get up to anything! I went up to the Goddess Tower for some air and-" 

"The Goddess Tower? Byleth, I didn't think you were the sort for moonlight trysts in the Cathedral." 

Byleth flushed, mouth opening and closing twice before she composed herself again.

"There was no tryst!" 

She hissed, although she couldn't deny that she hadn't thought about it, especially after the moment they'd shared in the training grounds. She almost thought he'd wanted her too, but he'd avoided her ever since. In his conspicuous absence from her life she had taken to fantasising about how different things could've been in the Goddess Tower if she'd grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him down to meet her lips. His hand would've found her hair and- Goddess. She was getting distracted. She could almost imagine Sothis chiding her and felt a wave of melancholy at her absence. 

"We just caught up with each other was all, we chatted about the legend and-"

"And?" 

"And nothing! We came back to the hall because it was cold." 

Manuela was looking at her like she didn't believe a word that was coming out of her mouth. 

"Do you expect me to believe that all the eyes you make at each other across crowded rooms and walks in the gardens together are just two friends catching up? Byleth, I wasn't born yesterday. What really happened up in that tower?"

The mint-haired professor took a hearty swig of red, before plopping the glass down and rubbing her temple. 

"I don't know how to make you believe me Manuela but nothing happened. I promise." She paused, before adding. "You know if I had any gossip I'd have told you by now." 

That seemed to pacify the older woman, who narrowed her eyes for a moment but seemed satisfied enough that Byleth was telling the truth.

"An esteemed noble like Rodrigue would never be interested in a commoner like me anyway."

"Don't sell yourself short, Byleth. Not only are you acting leader of the Church of Seiros and resistance armies but you wield the legendary Sword of the Creator. You may hold no lands or titles but there is nothing common about you."

"That's probably the kindest thing you've ever said to me."

She laughed, tucking a loose stand of hair behind her ear self-consciously.

"All I'm saying is, what harm is there in trying? Live a little, flirt a bit, be like your old friend Manuela."

The brunette winked, her manicured eyeshadow creasing as she broke into a fit of laughter. Byleth found herself laughing along with her.

She was glad of the songstresses friendship; Manuela was never afraid to speak her mind, didn't revere her like many of the students and soldiers did. Where Seteth was steadfastly devoted to his duty supporting and advising her, Manuela was comic relief and a break from the obligation to be a leader. The only other person she felt so at ease with was Rodrigue and he had his own obligations and responsibilities to take care of. 

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Manuela." 

The older woman tutted, shrugging dramatically. 

"Oh, I don't know, maybe spend your life in a hopeless orbit around a handsome man who _absolutely_ wants you and never actually get any?"

Byleth laughed. Maybe she did need to take a leaf out of Manuela's book for once.


End file.
